Postponement of the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia to December
Amman2 min read
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Organizers announced on Wednesday the postponement of the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament, which was scheduled to take place in October, to the period from December 27 to 30, amid security concerns following recent attacks in Saudi Arabia.
Organizers said in a statement that the decision comes "out of Riyadh Season's keenness to deliver sporting events according to the highest standards, and after studying the organizational and logistical challenges associated with holding the tournament, and the potential impact it may have on the quality of the experience provided to the audience."
The tournament was scheduled to take place from October 21 to 24, with the participation of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Taylor Fritz, while defending champion Jannik Sinner withdrew due to injury.
The tournament is an exhibition event that attracts the world's most prominent tennis players thanks to its record prize money, as Alcaraz acknowledged in 2024 that the financial aspect contributed to his decision to participate, after receiving $1.5 million over four days.
The attacks raised concerns regarding the hosting of other sporting events in Saudi Arabia, as the Asian Tour golf circuit said it is monitoring the security situation ahead of the Saudi International tournament in Riyadh next month.
Saudi Arabia is preparing to host the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 2027, in an important test before hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The Kingdom is also hosting the FIFA Esports World Cup, organized by FIFA, in Jeddah from October 16 to 25.
In this context, the Japan Football Association announced that it will not participate in the tournament, after a comprehensive assessment of the current situation in the host country and available information regarding safety and security, while the Australian Football Federation confirmed that its security team is monitoring the situation.
Reuters contacted the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA for comment.
